Neo Kikaider
by Phantom 1
Summary: Another little experiment I'm doing. Whether or not it remains depends on the amount of reviews I get. Jiro is brought back, but he has a heavy conscience circuit. Plus Kikaider for Dummies
1. The Return

Neo Android Kikaider the Animation  
  
Continuing Episode #1: Journeyman  
  
Background: Okay, for those of you who have never heard of Kikaider, let me give you a  
quick lowdown. There's this guy named Jiro. He's good-looking, not too bright, drives  
a motorcycle and very good at playing the guitar too. The only thing is, he's a robot.  
He was originally built by a guy named Komyoji to battle the minions of Kohmyoji's evil   
benefactor, Prof. Gill and the organization of Dark. What makes Jiro different from  
the others is that he has a Gemini Circuit, which behaves like his conscious (the show  
says it's like his heart, dag-blasted translator). Anywho, Jiro falls in love with   
Komyoji's daughter, Mitsuko (kind of disgusting if you think about it, I mean aren't   
they technically brother and sister?) Jiro, or Kikaider as he's also known as,   
eventually defeats Prof. Gill but the place goes up by a nuclear bomb.  
  
As it turns out, Jiro survived. He eventually meets up with a woman (I think her name  
is Rieko but don't quote me on that) who's trying to protect a kid named Akira who just  
happens to be Prof. Gill's son (and you thought a brother/sister romance was gross, how  
about a man who turns his son into a spark plug just so he can power a super weapon that  
can destroy everything.) Gill resurrects himself by transferring his brain into a  
Kikaider-like body called Hikaider. In the final battle, Gill/Hikaider takes control of  
Jiro's brothers, Ichiro/Kikaider Unit 01 and Rei/Kikaider Unit 00, and installs a circuit  
in Jiro that would make him go over to the dark side if you know what I mean. But Jiro's  
Gemini circuit makes it so that Kikaider actually kills not only Ichiro and Rey but Gill  
too. The series ends with the whole thing going up like a nuclear bomb. You'd think  
that would kill him. But what if he survived? But not unscathed (psychologically)  
  
Blurb: Jiro is brought back to life, but he has a heavy conscience circuit.  
  
And here we go, the continuing adventures of everyone's favorite angsty guitar-playing  
robot super hero with more issues than National Geographic.  
  
Cerebral Systen Intact.  
  
Gemini System re-installed.  
  
Neo Circuit Block in place.  
  
Neutrino energy source activated.  
  
All systems go.  
  
"Jiro. Jiro, can you hear me? Jiro?"  
  
He let out a moan and opened his eyes. He realized that he was vertical, floating in  
some sort of tube, pink liquid all around him. Electrode wires were attached to his head,  
arms, legs, chest, and back. It was hard to see anything through the murky pink liquid.  
  
A drain opened up under him and the liquid was released from the tube. Jiro felt gravity  
take hold of his body and he fell to both knees. The wires released his body and the  
glass tube opened.  
  
"What happened to me?" Jiro asked. "Where am I?"  
  
"In good hands, Jiro," a familiar voice said. Jiro looked up to see a tall man in a white  
lab coat. He was bald except for some tuffs of white hair on the side, large glasses and  
an equally big nose.  
  
"Dr. Komyoji," Jiro recognized. Komyoji helped him to his feet.  
  
"I'm glad that you remember me, Jiro."  
  
"How could I forget you? But... what happened to me? Last thing I remember was that I  
was confronting Gill in the weapon. Doctor, what happened to me?"  
  
"You were forced off-line when the weapon exploded. I figured that you were most  
likely at the scene of that incident, I discovered your mangled body and repaired you. I  
also found the remains of two other robots, both with designs similar to your own."  
  
"Oh my God!" Jiro cried as the memories came flooding back to him. "Doctor... I killed  
them... Ichiro... Rei... I destroyed them both!"  
  
"Here, Jiro, let me help you to a seat." Jiro's creator helped him to a diagnostic table.  
  
"Wait a minute Doctor... what are you doing here? When I came to your house, it was empty."  
  
"Yes, well... after... after we were separated with Gil's lab explosion, Mitsuko, Masato,  
and I went overseas so I could fully recover from my... out of body experience."  
  
"Mitsuko." Jiro could remember everything about Komyoji's eldest daughter. And by  
everything, that truly meant everything. He could remember her face, so beautiful. Her  
voice, kind and gentle. Her touch, bringing him security.  
  
"How... how are Mitsuko and Masato?"  
  
"Very well. Masato is a top student in his class. He wants to become a scientist when he  
grows up. Wants to be just like his old man, I reckon. Mitsuko, well... about two years  
after we lost you, she started dating. She's actually engaged to a man."   
  
"Two years? How long have I been gone?"  
  
"It's been three years, Jiro." He smiled. "You don't know how happy they will be to   
see you're all right."  
  
Jiro got up and looked down at himself. He was wearing only a pair of blue boxer shorts.  
"Doctor... I can't go back."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
Jiro spotted a closet in the corner and went to it. Inside was a pair of of blue jeans,  
red long-sleeve shirt, and blue vest. He donned them. "Doctor... I killed them! I  
killed my own brothers! In cold blood!"  
  
"Jiro, that wasn't you, that was Gill controlling you just as he was controlling your  
brothers."  
  
"How... how did you know?"  
  
"I saw the circuit that Gill used to control them and corrupt you. Since I built you,  
it was easy to see what was mine and what was Gill's handywork. Jiro, it wasn't  
your fault Ichiro and Rei got killed."  
  
"Yes it was!" Jiro snapped. "Gill may have implanted that circuit but it was still my  
hands that killed them!" Jiro looked down at his hands. "My hands are stained with their  
blood, their lives! These... these are murderer hands. They don't deserve to hold her  
like before. Why, Doctor? Why did you bring me back?" Doctor Komyoji was silent.  
  
"Doctor?"  
  
"Jiro, I need your help." Jiro looked up at the Doctor. "Jiro, we're in trouble. Dark  
has returned."  
  
"But I killed Professor Gill, wasn't he the head of Dark."  
  
"Well, either he wasn't the actual head or Dark has reformed under another leader. What-  
ever the reason, they want revenge on me after I severed ties with them. I'm afraid  
they might resort to anything to win, including hurting Mitsuko and Masato. That's why  
I need your help."  
  
"So you want me to fight, is that it, Doctor?" Jiro asked harshly.  
  
"Not fight, Jiro, protect. I need you to protect us."  
  
"Forgive me, Doctor... I owe you for all you have given me, but... I don't want to cut  
loose again, I don't want to fight! I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me."  
  
"Forgive me, Jiro, I guess I did want you to fight. But..." Doctor Komyoji was  
interrupted by the alarm. He ran to check his security monitor. "No! They're here!"  
  
"Who's here?" Jiro asked putting on a pair of riding gloves.  
  
"Dark." The wall behind Jiro's chamber exploded. Jiro covered Doctor Komyoji with his  
own body. In the rubble, a humanoid robot stood. He looked like Jiro when he transformed  
into Kikaider, but the color scheme was different. Instead of half red and half blue, he  
was half black and half white.  
  
"So this is where you've been hiding, Komyoji," it said. "And I see that my brother is  
with you." Jiro immediately recognized the voice. "So our intelligence was right,   
the good Doctor was trying to resurrect Kikaider."  
  
"Hikaider? Why are you working for Dark?" Jiro asked. "Gill betrayed you!"  
  
"Yes, Gill betrayed me, but just as you were revived by Doctor Komyoji, so I was revived  
by Dark. And as for my name, I am not known as Hikaider any more, but Darkaider."  
  
"Jiro, if you truly don't wish to fight, then we must run," Doctor Komyoji suggested.  
  
"Right," Jiro agreed. He grabbed Doctor Komyoji and ran from the room.  
  
"Oh come on, Jiro, we've known each other for so long, are you still resorting to the old  
run and hide game?"  
  
"Turn left here," Doctor Komyoji instructed. "There's an exit at the end of this hallway.  
  
Jiro followed the Doctor's instructions. He kicked a door open and burst from the mansion-  
like lab into a lush forest region. He noticed that this wasn't his old lab, but a new  
one. Jiro guessed that Doctor Komyoji never bothered to re-build it and instead built a  
new one on a cliff face overlooking a mountainrange.  
  
Darkaider was right behind him.  
  
"Doctor, go hide," Jiro said. "Darkaider, I don't want to fight you!"  
  
"That's too bad, Jiro, because I'm not giving you much of a choice." Darkaider held out his  
hand towards Jiro and a cannon barrel popped out of the palm. Bullets straifed Jiro and he  
held his arms up to protect him. But even though he was a robot, the bullets still hur like  
hell.  
  
"Jiro, transform!" Dr. Komyoji called from his hiding place behind a tree.  
  
"No!" Jiro cried. "I don't want to fight!"  
  
"I'm no saying you should fight, just transform. You'll be able to survive Darkaider's attacks  
better."  
  
That made sense to Jiro. He crossed his arms and touched a fist to the opposite shoulder.  
"Change!" He commanded. His human skin peeled away to reveal his robot state, humanoid robot  
that was half red and half blue with glowing yellow eyes.  
  
Kikaider could tell that the Doctor was right, the bullets didn't hurt as much as it did when he  
was a human. Darkaider moved in for close-range combat. He launched a series of kicks at Kikaider  
which he blocked.  
  
"You're just as weak as you were when we fought at Komyoji's previous lab," Darkaider commented.  
"What's wrong, Kikaider? Where's that heroic nonsense you always displayed."  
  
"I'm not the same as before, Saburo," Kikaider said with a haunted look. "I've gone through a lot,  
more than you could ever imagine."  
  
Darkaider was secretly surprised at his brother's comment. Wasn't he offline from the destruction  
of Gil's lab to now? Perhaps when he destroyed Kikaider, he could download his memory chips and  
find out just what he meant by that.  
  
"Is that so? Well you'll be happy to know that I will put you out of your misery so you won't  
have to fight any more." Suddenly Darkaider's hands detached from his arms and traveled on metallic  
coils and slugged Kikaider in the stomach. Kikaider was thrown into a tree causing it to fall.  
  
"I was hoping for a more worthwhile challenge, Kikaider. Perhaps the others will put up more of a  
fight."  
  
"Others?"  
  
"Dark doesn't want Komyoji simply to get revenge, they want the secret to the Kikaider technology?"  
  
"What secret?" Jiro asked. He had a feeling there was more to this than a simple revenge trip.  
And what secret did Darkaider mean?  
  
"Gil was the only one of Dark with access to Komyoji's Kikaider technology. When he died, that   
secret died with him. Dark wants anyone connected to the Kikaider technology and they're   
willing to do anything to get it."  
  
Anyone? Wasn't Dr. Komyoji the only one with the secrets that Darkaider and Dark wanted?  
Reverend Fuuten? No, they probably didn't know about him. But who else...  
  
Suddenly it all clicked. There was one another with the knowledge of the Kikaider technology.  
Mitsuko! She once told him that she studied robotics because she wanted to understand why her father  
neglected her and Masato for all those years. And she was the one who fixed Jiro's arm the night  
before he invaded Gil's base. That's what Darkaider was trying to say, Dark was willing to go to any  
lengths to get the secrets they seek, including threaten Mitsuko.  
  
Darkaider could see the realization and shock in Kikaider's eyes. "So you finally understand, Jiro.  
Anybody who has knowledge of the Kikaider technology is a target, including Komyoji's daughter."  
  
"Mitsuko!" Dr. Komyoji gasped.  
  
"You... monsters!" Jiro's eyes became a blood red as he charged Darkaider. He pushed Darkaider back  
into a wall of the lab. Darkaider's body made an imprint in the wall.  
  
"Well... you have a little bit of fight in you after all," Darkaider said grinning evily. He came  
back with an upper cut that knocked Kikaider to the ground. Darkaider fired his boot jets and hovered  
some thirty feet in the air. He came down fast and kicked Kikaider in the stomach. Kikaider, his  
eyes still glowing red, grabbed Darkaider's foot and began crushing it. Eventually he curshed it so  
much that Darkaider lost balance and fell back.  
  
Kikaider crossed his arms and activated his electro hands. Darkaider couldn't believe how destructive  
his brother has gotten. And he wasn't even whistling.  
  
Kikaider was almost ready to deliver the final blow when Dr. Komyoji cried out, "Jiro, stop, don't  
destroy him!" Immediately, Kikaider's eyes returned to normal. Kikaider pointed at Darkaider.  
  
"Tell your masters at Dark that if they want Komyoji or Mitsuko, they'll have to destroy me first!"  
  
"Careful what you wish for, brother, it just might come true. Your threats mean nothing against  
Dark's ultimate plan, but I'll enjoy the challenge. Watch out, Kikaider, I'm coming for you."  
Darkaider activated his one remaining boot jet and lop-sidedly took off. Kikaider was about to  
follow him when Dr. Komyoji stopped him.  
  
"Jiro, let him go."  
  
A little while later, Jiro was back in his human form.  
  
"Even now, I can't escape my violent tendencies," he said.  
  
"Hmmm... the Gemini circuit must've stored the settings of Gil's aggressive circuit. I'm sorry,  
Jiro, I didn't know."  
  
"It's not your fault, Doctor, it's my fault. I... I can never feel peace, so long as I have  
these violent tendencies in me. I... I must go."  
  
"Where will you go?"  
  
"I don't know, wherever I can go to avoid this needless stryfe!"  
  
"Jiro..."  
  
"Doctor, please, I don't want you to try to stop me."  
  
"I won't, but if you'll stay for a minute, I want to give you something." Jiro followed Dr.  
Komyoji back into his lab and the chamber where he first woke up. Dr. Komyoji reached into a  
large chest and brought out a silver acoustic guitar. "Masato wanted to repair your old one,  
but I don't think it would work as well as this one.  
  
"Oh, wow, Doctor!" Jiro gasped upon seeing the instrument.  
  
"They say that music can express your soul. Use this to express yours, Jiro."  
  
Jiro strapped the guitar onto his back and went to the front of the lab followed by Komyoji.  
Out in the front was a blue motorcycle with a yellow stripe.  
  
"Oh, wow, Doctor!" Jiro repeated.  
  
"I built it especially for you, Jiro," Dr. Komyoji said.   
  
Jiro put on a helmet that was leaning on the handlebar. As he got on and started it up he   
said, "Doctor Komyoji, you have done a lot for me and I'm greateful. But... I would like one  
more favor from you."  
  
"Anything, Jiro, if it's within my power, I'll do it."  
  
"It is, please don't tell Mitsuko or Masato about me. From what you told me, they are living  
perfect carefree lives since I was away. I just want them to be happy and not worry about me  
all the time. So please, don't tell them that I'm alive."  
  
"Of course, Jiro. Will... will you return?"  
  
"Some day, Doctor, some day." And Jiro took off, leaving his father at the lab.  
  
"Good luck, Jiro," Dr. Komyoji said. "I hope that you find the peace you seek."  
  
Jiro is briefly reunited with Etsuko Sabbutori, the young associate of Hanpei Hattori. He  
also meets a young boy named Amuro Kotori, who's on the run from an organization who might  
be Dark. Next time on Neo Android Kikaider the Animation: The Guardian 


	2. The Guardian

Neo Android Kikaider the Animation  
  
Continuing Episode #2: The Guardian  
  
Jiro is a robot built by Dr. Komyoji. Brought back to life after two years,  
he travels the world seeking solitude from those who wish to destroy him.  
Now, his adventure continues.  
  
Blitzkrieg College was a community college located within a big city. The  
primary majors that Blitzkrieg specializes in are communications and  
mechanics. The studies there are very hard, even for one particular girl.  
  
"Etsuko? Etsuko! Earth to Etsuko!"  
  
The girl looked up from the book she was reading. "oh, Koshiro, you  
startled me."  
  
"You must be really into that book, I've been calling your name for over  
a minute."  
  
"I'm just studying this book on advance robotics for a report I'm doing."  
  
Etsuko Sabbutori was a child prodigy and was admitted to the college as  
the youngest person ever to attend college. She was majoring in mechanics  
and was hoping to get a job working at a robot producing factory that  
seem to be popping up all over the place. Etsuko didn't tell Koshiro that  
she was reading the book not just for a report she was doing, but for the  
feeling of nostalgia that she's been suffering from recently for some  
reason.  
  
Koshiro took the book she was reading. "Gemini, a study of incorporating  
human traits into robots by Dem Komyoji. Komyoji, isn't he that robotics  
nut who temporarily disappeared years ago?"  
  
"Yeah, he was." Etsuko confirmed. "But he's hardly a nut."  
  
"Are you kidding? Sure, the guy's good at robotics but some of his...  
theories are absolutely crazy. I mean, robots who act like humans? Come  
on..."  
  
Etsuko knew that Koshiro liked to pull her chain, especially about her  
beliefs. Dr. Komyoji's reputation since his capture by Dark has been a  
mixed one. While people have respected him for his knowledge of advanced  
robotics, they ridiculed him for his theories, especially the ones about  
a circuit that behaves like a human conscience. Deep down, Etsuko couldn't  
blame them. She wouldn't believe it if she hadn't seen the truth with her  
own two eyes.  
  
Etsuko snatched her book back and started to walk across campus. Koshiro  
followed her. "Aww, Etsuko, don't be like that. Hey, I'm sorry I made  
fun of your idol. Say, how about coming down to Lan's with me. Come on,  
I'm even buying the shakes."  
  
Etsuko sighed. She knew Koshiro wouldn't stop until she said yes so she  
might as well get it over with. "Well, since you're buying, why not."  
The two left the college and started to walk down the street.  
  
"So, why are you so interested in this Komyoji guy?" Koshiro asked.  
  
"Well..." Etsuko couldn't tell him the truth, he wouldn't believe her  
anyway, but she couldn't exactly lie either, it wouldn't be fair to Koshiro.  
"I was working for a P.I. who was hired to look for him."  
  
"Whoa, no wonder you're so into his work, you probably seen some of the  
stuff he was doing."  
  
"Something like that." Etsuko paused. A blue motorcycle was turning into  
a gas station.  
  
"What's wrong?" Koshiro asked.  
  
"I... I don't know," Etsuko said. Something about that motorcycle set off  
a spark of... familiarity to her, but Etsuko couldn't figure out for the  
life of her why. Etsuko went across the street and up to the gas station.  
The rider got off and waved his hand by the gas pump. The gas pump beeped  
and the rider began filling the tank of the motorcycle. Etsuko noticed he  
was wearing a blue vest over a red long sleeve shirt, and blue jeans. He  
took off his helmet and Etsuko gasped, suddenly feeling faint.  
  
It was Jiro!  
  
"Jiro!" She cried running to him.  
  
"Etsuko," Koshiro called out.  
  
Jiro was caught off-guard as a girl literally threw herself at him.  
  
"Huh? What?" He asked.  
  
"Jiro, I can't believe it, you're alive, you're really alive."  
  
"What's going on? Who are you?"  
  
Etsuko looked at him. "Jiro, don't you recognize me?"  
  
Jiro took a good hard look at her. His memory played the image of a small  
girl with short brown hair and round glasses. The girl before him now had  
shoulder-length brown hair and clear frame glasses, but the voice was the  
same.  
  
"Etsuko? Etsuko Sabbotori?"  
  
She smiled. "You do remember me! Oh Jiro, it's been such a long time."  
  
"Too long," Jiro agreed returning the embrace.  
  
Koshiro was getting jealous. Etsuko just threw herself at this guy. "Hey,  
Etsuko, you know this guy?"  
  
Etsuko blushed as she released herself from Jiro's embrace. "Oh, sorry.  
Jiro, this is Koshiro Watanabe."  
  
A little while later, Jiro, Etsuko, and Koshiro were in Lan's. Etsuko and  
Koshiro had milk shakes, Jiro had nothing.  
  
"No way, you're related to THE Dem Komyoji?" Koshiro's eyes widened.  
  
"Something like that," Jiro agreed. Etsuko smiled.  
  
"Oh, gee man, sorry. I mean I know he's your father and all, but it must  
be tough being son to a guy with his reputation."  
  
"Reputation?" Koshiro asked.  
  
"Koshiro!" Etsuko scolded then turned to Jiro. "A lot of people think   
Komyoji's theories about human-like robots is a load of crock."  
  
"But it's true," Jiro said matter-of-factly. "I'm proof of that."  
  
Before Koshiro could ask what he meant by that, they all heard a loud  
screeching sound. Everyone from Lan's turned to see a boy running across the  
highway and enter the parking lot.  
  
"What's that kid doing?" Etsuko asked. "He could get killed."  
  
The boy, who looked to be about Etsuko's age back when Dr. Komyoji was kidnapped  
by Dark, ran into the restaurant.  
  
"Please, don't let them kill me!" He pleaded as he ducked behind the booth that  
Jiro and the others were at.  
  
"What's going on?" Koshiro wondered just before two guys in black suits and sun  
glasses carrying machine guns burst in and opened fire. Everybody ducked, Jiro  
protected Etsuko and Koshiro with his body.  
  
"Nobody move," one of them called. "All we want is the boy. Nobody try anything  
stupid. Hand the boy over and we'll leave."  
  
Something triggered in Jiro, a hidden sense, something that (he later realized)  
Dr. Komyoji installed in him when he was rebuilt. "You're robots!" He realized.  
  
One of the men in black pointed to Jiro. His partner nodded and they both opened  
fire. Jiro crossed his arms to protect himself from the hail of bullets.  
  
"Mr. Jiro!" Koshiro shouted but Etsuko pulled him under a table. "But Etsuko..."  
  
"Jiro knows what he's doing," Etsuko said just as Jiro fell to both knees.  
  
"Anybody caught protecting the boy will suffer the same fate as this... huh?" They  
were shocked, as Koshiro was, as Jiro slowly stood.  
  
"Leave the boy alone," Jiro said. "What did he do to you?"  
  
"That is none of your business."  
  
"You come in here waving those guns around, almost kill us and say it's none of our  
business?" Etsuko snapped. "Who are you to do that?"  
  
"We represent the boy's parents."  
  
"Liar!" The boy shouted. With inhuman-like speed, one of the men leaped at the boy.  
But Jiro was quicker and grabbed the boy just before the man touched down. Jiro  
crashed through a window and ran into the parking lot. The men were right behind  
him. Jiro got ready to transform into Kikaider but realized that it might scare the  
boy away.  
  
"Answer me this," Jiro said. "Do you work for Dark?"  
  
The men, who have emerged from the restaurant with guns in hand, reacted to Jiro's  
question. One of them pointed to Jiro and said to his partner, "He knows."  
  
"There must be no liaison between us two, we must kill him." They opened fire again.  
Jiro blocked it with his arms. "He must be one of Dark's minions."  
  
Jiro wondered why they would think he was part of Dark when it was Dark who was trying  
to destroy him.  
  
"Jiro!" It was Etsuko! She was riding on back of Koshiro's own motor scooter. The  
boy was with her. "Let's go!" Jiro barely contained a small smile. Etsuko knew he   
didn't like to fight, especially when there were so many people around who could get   
hurt. Jiro pressed a button on his watch. Jiro's motorcycle activated of its own   
accord and rode by him. Jiro jumped on. Koshiro handed the boy off to him and they  
took off away from the men.  
  
They rode for what seemed like hours. Finally, they stopped at an underpass.  
  
"That was a close one," Etsuko said.  
  
The boy looked down at his sneakers and gripped the bottom of the raggedy yellow T-shirt  
he was wearing. "Thank you for helping me."  
  
"Were they really going to kill you?" Koshiro asked. "What do they call you?"  
  
"Amuro, and yes."  
  
"Jiro, you asked them earlier if they worked for Dark. Dark is dead, isn't it?" Etsuko  
asked. Jiro reminisced his encounter with Saburo at Dr. Komyoji's laboratory. "That's   
horrible!" Etsuko said when he was done.  
  
"At first, I thought that they worked for Dark, but then I realized that Dark wants me  
because of the Kikaider technology. Those two wanted me dead, so they couldn't have  
worked for Dark."  
  
"Unless they didn't recognize you," Etsuko pointed out.  
  
"They don't work for Dark," Amuro said. "They work for Gear."  
  
"Gear?"  
  
"Global Enclave of Advanced Robotics," Koshiro explained. "They're this big conglomerate  
corporation who's heavy into robotics."  
  
"That's just what they want you to think," Amuro protested. "They actually do some pretty  
bad stuff."  
  
"So why do they want you, Amuro?"  
  
"I... I don't know," Amuro said crouching down on the balls of his feet. "I don't know  
what I did,they just started chasing me one day, they have been ever since."  
  
"What about your parents, do they know?" Jiro asked.  
  
"I... I don't have any parents."  
  
"You're an orphan," Etsuko realized. "So how do you know about Gear's shady doings."  
  
"They captured me a lot," Amuro said embarrassed. "But I escaped."  
  
"I hate to change the subject," Koshiro said. "But the sun's setting, and I have a feeling  
those jerks in black will be looking for us. We should try to find a place to stay for the  
night."  
  
"Good idea," Jiro said.  
  
That night, the group found an abandoned camp ground. Jiro brought them dinner and they  
settled in. Koshiro and Amuro were already fast asleep. Jiro was on watch. He was playing  
a tune on his guitar. It was a sad, mournful tune which matched his mood perfectly.  
  
"Jiro?" Etsuko sat down besides him.  
  
"Aren't your parents or Mister Hattori gonna be worried?"  
  
"Jiro, I'm in college now, I can handle myself."  
  
"Oh." Jiro continued plaing his guitar.  
  
"Jiro, I know I said this before, but I'm glad you're alive. Mitsuko and Masato must be  
ecstatic."  
  
Jiro stopped playing. "They don't know."  
  
"What? Jiro, I'd think they'd be the first people to find out you're still alive!"  
  
"Etsuko, you saw what happened at the restaurant, trouble seems to follow me wherever I  
go. I just want Mitsuko and Masato to be safe and happy. Besides..." Jiro stared at his  
hands. "I'm a murderer."  
  
"If you're talking about Professor Gill, then he deserved to die after all he put you  
through."  
  
"No, I mean... my brothers, I killed my own brothers!"  
  
Etsuko didn't know what to say. Ever since she first met Jiro, he knew that fighting was  
the last thing he wanted to do. And killing his own brothers no less, that must really put  
a heavy burden on his Gemini... no, his soul. Etsuko has decided long ago that Jiro had a  
soul, probably the only one of his kind to have a soul.  
  
"Jiro, you should know that Mitsuko has never stopped wishing for you to return." Jiro  
stared at her. "You should see her whenever she talks about you, Jiro. She always smiles,  
and blushes a little." Etsuko gazed at the night sky. "It's really romantic."  
  
"All I want is for them to be happy," Jiro said.  
  
Etsuko laid a hand on his shoulder. "If you truly want them to be happy, then return to   
them." She then laid by Koshiro and fell asleep leaving Jiro to ponder her words.  
  
The next day, the group returned to town. They haven't been in town for long when they were  
suddenly strafed with bullets. Jiro quickly covered the others with his body. A black sedan  
drove by. The men from the restaurant, along with two of their friends, drove the sedan onto  
the sidewalk blocking them from proceeding. They all got out and aimed machine guns at Jiro,  
Etsuko, Koshiro, and Amuro.  
  
Jiro looked from Amuro to the men. Only Etsuko really knew what Jiro was thinking, he was  
pondering whether or not he should transform in front of Amuro. Then he said, "Amuro,   
listen, I promise that I'll protect you from Gear. No matter what happens to them, or to me,  
remember that I promise that I'll never hurt you."  
  
Amuro was confused but nodded. Jiro turned and faced the men. "I don't know if you work for  
Dark or not, or what you want with the boy." He slapped his fists on his shoulders. "But I  
WON'T LET YOU KILL HIM! CHANGE!" Amuro clinged to the leg of Etsuko's pants as Jiro  
transformed into Kikaider.  
  
The moment Kikaider's transformation was completed, he blitzed the men, taking two down by  
clotheslining them. He then launched a spin kick at one behind him but the kick went over the  
enemy's head. Suddenly the men's fingers opened up and lasers fired at him. The lasers stung  
Kikaider.  
  
"Hang in there, Jiro! You can do it!" Etsuko encouraged.  
  
"Wow, Jiro wasn't kidding when he vouched for the validity of Dr. Komyoji's research," Koshiro  
said.  
  
"He... He's protecting me," Amuro realized.  
  
"That's right," Etsuko confirmed. "One of Jiro's strengths is his desire to protect the people  
he cares about."  
  
"Does... does Jiro care about me?" Amuro asked.  
  
"If he didn't, do you think he would be fighting now?" Etsuko retorted. Kikaider elbowed one of  
the men in the gut. He put much more strength into that attack than he intended. A piece of his  
stomach cracked open and exposed the internal circuitry.  
  
"I knew it," Kikaider said, his eyes glowing red. "You are robots!" He activated his electro-  
hands. "So therefore, I don't have to worry about killing anyone! ELECTRO HANDS!" He sliced two  
of the men in half horizontally. He turned towards the other two. "Return to Gear, let your  
masters know that you will not get the boy as long as I live!"  
  
"What are you?" One of the men asked.  
  
Jiro's eyes returned to glowing yellow. "My adversaries call me... Kikaider." The robots picked  
up their fallen comrades and retreated.  
  
"All right, Jiro!" Etsuko cried running up to him, Koshiro following. "You did it, you beat them."  
  
"That was incredible," Koshiro commented. "For someone who doesn't like fighting, you can  
definitely kick butt."  
  
"I only did it because there was no other choice," Kikaider said. He then turned to Amuro. The  
boy was staring at him wide-eyed. Jiro took a deep breath and waited for the screaming, the  
"monster" and the running away.  
  
Instead of any of that, Amuro ran up to Kikaider and embraced his lower half. "Thank you...  
thank you, Kikaider!"  
  
Kikaider smiled. "Call me Jiro, that's what all my friends call me."  
  
"Friends?" Amuro looked up at him. "Am I your friend?"  
  
"Do you want me to be your friend?" Amuro nodded. "Then yes, you're my friend."  
  
"Thank you, Jiro, thank you!"  
  
A little while later, Jiro and Amuro prepared to leave on his motorcycle.  
  
"Will you two be all right?" Jiro asked.  
  
"We'll be fine," Etsuko assured him.  
  
"Gear would probably be more focused with finding you guys so they'll probably ignore us for  
now," Koshiro added.  
  
"Where will you go?" Etsuko asked.  
  
"We'll probably head east," Jiro said. "Hopefully, we won't come across Dark or Gear there."  
  
Etsuko went up to Jiro and embraced him. Into his ear, she whispered, "Don't worry, I won't tell  
Mitsuko or Masato that I saw you."  
  
"Thanks, Etsuko," Jiro whispered back.  
  
Amuro put on Jiro's helmet (which was obviously a little big on him) and Jiro took off.  
  
"Etsuko, what did you say to him?" Koshiro asked.  
  
Etsuko gave her friend a small smile. "Oh, nothing important."  
  
Jiro and Amuro arrive at the mountains. There, they come under attack by Darkaider with some new  
soldiers. Fortunately, they are saved by two powerful, yet familiar warriors. Next time on Neo  
Android Kikaider the Animation: The Return 


End file.
